Speak of The Devil

“No, I’m not in pain.”Jung Yiyeon smiled as he spun a blatant lie. But there was something suspicious about his smile. There was nothing amusing happening, so why was he smiling? I couldn’t understand the reason.“Why are you smiling?”“Huh? Just because.”As I stared at him with a stern expression, Jung Yiyeon erased his smile and replied.“Because it’s cute when you use honorifics.”“…?”I was speechless.“Because it seems like you’re worried about me, and that’s nice.”What’s with this guy… What’s going on in his head? Has he truly gone mad?Receiving such affection sometimes made a sense of guilt creep out from within me. There was a time when I despised Jung Yiyeon. But now…“Jung Yiyeon.”I wasn’t sure. Words I hadn’t even thought of came out of my mouth.“If I were to overpower you here and now, would that be the end of our relationship?”Perhaps I wanted to see him squirming in fear.And as I expected, Jung Yiyeon’s face turned pale. Despite having nowhere to escape with the mattress raised, he subtly tried to move away from me.“This is a hospital.”“I know.”“I’m wearing a monitor that measures my heart rate in real time. If that goes up, nurses and doctors will come running.”Despite being in too much pain to move properly, he had a face that suggested he might even jump off the bed and run away. I couldn’t help but laugh at his desperate expression.It was absurd. To laugh even in such desperate and painful moments.Although the end of that laughter soon melted back into melancholy, even for a moment, laughing had improved my mood a little.“Have you eaten?” Jung Yiyeon asked.I nodded in response to Jung Yiyeon’s question. It had been a day where I hadn’t even properly drunk water, but I didn’t feel like telling him I couldn’t eat either.“Should I send someone to your house? They can bring you food and take care of some chores.”“It’s okay.”“You have to eat well. If you come back home looking like just bones, I might really end up dying at your brother’s hands.”It was probably just a joke, but wasn’t it too inappropriate given the circumstances? Despite my fierce gaze, Jung Yiyeon just kept smiling. His youthful face was so affectionate that it made me feel weak.“Can my brother… come back home?”“Of course. If you eat well and rest, he’ll be back soon.”I wasn’t a little kid anymore. I chuckled at Jung Yiyeon’s words, which sounded like he was trying to pacify a child.I didn’t think Jung Yiyeon was unaware of the situation. He must have known everything already. Even so, was his affectionate comforting a lie, or did he truly believe in himself?“…Have you met Jung Sangyeon?”I responded to his question with silence.I had to ask Jung Yiyeon for help now, to get what that woman wanted. Or there might be a way to help Jung Yiyeon surpass her, but I didn’t have the courage for that. Even if Jung Yiyeon could eventually succeed in obtaining the position of the group’s successor, it would take a long time.“…Jung Yiyeon…”I had to ask Jung Yiyeon for help. I had to offer him something worth considering in return. When I finally mustered the courage to call out to him, he shook his head.“Don’t say it.”His voice was calm.“You don’t have to say it.”It was firm yet affectionate.“Jung Yiyeon, about that person…”“It’s okay. I know very well what that person wants.”I couldn’t say anything in response to the faint smile on Jung Yiyeon’s lips.“I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry.”What was he going to take care of? The words lingered on the tip of my tongue, but once again, nothing came out. I just clenched my teeth tightly.“Go home. If you don’t want to go home, you can stay at a hotel, and I’ll inform Manager Yoo, so it’s okay.”Why was Jung Yiyeon so affectionate like this?“Go, eat well, sleep well. Just wait a little while, and everything will be fine.”A warm touch reached my cheek. I couldn’t look directly at him under his gentle caress.“Your brother will return to your house soon. I promised you, remember?”Even as he made the promise, Jung Yiyeon didn’t mention any conditions. It was as if there were no conditions to all of this.“I’ll keep all the promises I made with you.”His gentle words, as I bowed my head, felt so sweet. Eventually, I had no choice but to believe him, his confident tone soothing my heart. Though it was a promise I couldn’t believe, I wanted to believe it. Holding onto a tiny shred of faith, I leaned on him, and finally, the anxiety and tension inside me dispersed.—Back home, as Jung Yiyeon had said, I spent my days in a normal routine. I didn’t engage in any external activities, staying cooped up at home, but at least I ate when I needed to and slept when I needed to.I didn’t bother looking into the legal proceedings of the criminal case or any resolution from the perpetrator’s perspective anymore. If I dwelled on those things, my anxiety would only grow, and I felt powerless, so I deliberately avoided them.Even though there were times when I wondered if I deserved to be this comfortable, whenever I consulted myself, I thought of my brother. The idea that living my life without worrying was helping me was undoubtedly bittersweet, but it also gave me the strength to get through each day.I couldn’t remember exactly what I did all day, but somehow time passed. As time went on, the feelings of guilt and fear gradually dulled. Perhaps my brother would end up serving a long sentence, and I even tried to pull myself together.Days went by like this, and one night, about a week after going to the hospital, I received a call from Jung Yiyeon. When I went downstairs to answer the call, Jung Yiyeon was standing in front of the apartment building. He was dressed in a suit, but his left arm was in a cast. Because of the arm sling supporting the cast, he couldn’t wear his jacket and had it draped over his shoulder.Though there were still bruises and scratches on his face, the swelling had gone down. Under the white fluorescent light of the hospital room, his face, which had looked pale before, didn’t seem too bad.I felt relieved. I approached him with a sense of inexplicable relief. However, as I got closer, the anxiety began to creep back in. I couldn’t decipher the meaning behind his expressionless face.Was there no longer a way to save my brother? Half of me wanted to hurry up and ask for the results, while the other half wanted to delay hearing them as much as possible in case the news was bad.But all my worries and anxieties were pointless. The moment his lips formed a smile when he saw me, all the anxiety inside me dissipated.“Nan-ah.”His voice calling me was calm yet cheerful.“How… did it go?”Ironically, his smile made me anxious. The moment I started to believe that the outcome would be positive, I immediately thought it was absurd.Even though it had been a long time since I’d seen his face, I couldn’t even manage to greet him. I didn’t even ask if he was okay. I just stood there in front of him, staring at him desperately.“Did you do well? Why do you look so nervous when I told you to take care of yourself?”I wasn’t nervous at all. I ate well and slept well. Since Jung Yiyeon didn’t respond coolly, I felt annoyed.“Are you in any pain?”“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”“I was a little, though.”His childish complaint made me shut my mouth. I was somewhat surprised. He looked much better than when I saw him in the hospital room, so where was the pain coming from? Or perhaps something unfavorable was found during a test while he was hospitalized.“Where… does it hurt?”“I felt a lot of pain because I missed you.”…Does he want to joke right now? When someone is so worried. Is he really trying to play it cool because he hasn’t come to visit yet?Setting aside my absurd feelings, I glared at Jung Yiyeon, who was making unreasonable remarks.“Enough with the jokes.”“It’s not a joke.”“But what about my brother?”What mattered to me right now was my brother’s issue.When I asked, Jung Yiyeon closed his mouth for a moment. There was a subtle smile on his lips. I wished that it was just my misconception that he looked somewhat bitter. I didn’t want to be swayed by Jung Yiyeon’s gestures, words, or smiles, but I couldn’t help but be attentive to him.“He’ll be out by tomorrow afternoon.”Ah…Finally.A sense of relief spread through me, warming my stomach for a moment. It was such a welcoming sound. I let out a long sigh and touched my face. My eyes became watery. I thought I had become numb to anxiety and fear, but maybe it was just self-deception. Now, it seemed like I could finally breathe again.“Thank… thank you….”It might be premature to express gratitude, but I couldn’t help but say a word to the man who came to give me the news.“Don’t mention it.”Looking at me, Jung Yiyeon smiled faintly.“If you’re grateful, it would be nice if you gave me a kiss or something.”A playful remark filled with laughter. But it was enough to make me stiffen. Seeing me staring blankly at him, Jung Yiyeon seemed to realize his mistake and wiped the smile off his face.“Just kidding.”He shook his head and took a step back.Before I could say anything, Jung Yiyeon suddenly reached out to me. In his hand was an envelope. Inside was another yellow envelope. Documents related to my brother? I looked at him with curiosity, and he smiled again.“It took longer than expected to sort things out. Take it.”I accepted what he was offering. Eager to know, I took out the documents from the envelope.Inside was…“Do you know Manager Yoo’s number? Sign it and contact Manager Yoo.”Even at a glance, I could tell. It was a contract to donate real estate. It seemed to contain other documents needed before the transfer of ownership.The house and the store. They were the things he had promised to give me in exchange for my confinement. He had said he would transfer the ownership as soon as I started eating properly, and now he had brought them.“The house is empty, so you can move in right away if you want. You can also rent it out if you like… Ah, but I guess I shouldn’t be concerned about these things.”While listening to Jung Yiyeon’s babbling, I couldn’t say a word. I wanted to say something, but my lips were just slightly trembling, and I couldn’t speak.Taking my gaze away from the documents, I stared blankly at Jung Yiyeon.Finally, I could face one fact that I had been avoiding.What Vice President Jung Sangyeon demanded in exchange for my brother’s freedom. It was the shares of Eunha Group that Jung Yiyeon possessed. And he said it was a significant amount, enough to affect the group’s ownership structure.“…Did you transfer all the shares?”What was I going to achieve by asking this? My reason mocked me sharply, but I couldn’t help but ask.At my question, Jung Yiyeon paused for a moment. But then he returned with a puzzled expression, as if wondering when he showed such a reaction, and smiled.“That’s none of your concern.”Just like the house that now belonged to me was unrelated to Jung Yiyeon, he meant that what he did with his shares was none of my concern.I was dumbfounded once again. It was unbelievable.“…Are you really crazy?”And for some reason, I was inexplicably angry. Anger surged as I looked at Jung Yiyeon.“What the… What on earth…”“I promised to take care of it.”His affectionate voice left me speechless. I was not only bewildered but also unable to express my anger.Would cursing him as a lunatic make me feel better?What on earth was I supposed to say? What did Jung Yiyeon mean by throwing away his own property? While I thought confining someone was crazy, now that he had thrown away a massive fortune, it felt like Jung Yiyeon had truly lost his mind.Yet, his attitude of brushing it off as if it were nothing was truly unbearable.A promise. What was the point of our promise?“It’s all my fault, so I should handle it. You don’t need to worry about it.”“…Ha.”“It’s all sorted out, and your brother will be back tomorrow. Isn’t that enough?”Enough? What’s enough?Jung Yiyeon lost the only weapon he had to restrain the troublesome cousins because of him.Could Jung Yiyeon even hold the position of a hotel CEO in the future? What would happen if he were ousted from the group? Even if he were his cousin, could he guarantee a position where he could live without shame?He was said to be Chairman Jung Pilwon’s most beloved grandson. Would the chairman take care of him? But Chairman Jung Pilwon was almost eighty. It was a pipe dream to think he could always be Jung Yiyeon’s strong support.“More importantly, Lee Nan.”Jung Yiyeon remained composed, despite leaving someone utterly dumbfounded. From his demeanor alone, he didn’t look like someone who had handed over a substantial fortune to another.Moreover, he was shameless.“We still have one left, don’t we?”His words, delivered with a smile, were so shameless it stabbed at my gut. Whenever I was with Jung Yiyeon, it was always like this. He made me feel even more helpless when I was already lost for words.“Is it really appropriate to do that now?”He wasn’t teasing me. I understood it was an attempt to lighten the mood with a joke.But it failed. He was smiling, but it wasn’t a genuine smile. Despite his calm demeanor, he looked so lonely, as if… he were crying.“It’s just a joke.”As if saying the request for a kiss if I were grateful was a joke. Even now, it was a joke about lingering regrets.“It’s a joke… so don’t get mad.”I knew he was subtly revealing his true feelings, which he couldn’t hide. When did Jung Yiyeon become someone who couldn’t lie like this?I didn’t get angry. I just looked at Jung Yiyeon silently.Thanks to that, contrary to Jung Yiyeon’s intentions, the atmosphere grew heavier. It was too late for Jung Yiyeon to try to put on a carefree smile. He seemed to realize that he couldn’t change this heavy atmosphere.He sighed heavily, as if trying to bring up a very difficult topic.September had arrived imperceptibly. Under the slightly chilly autumn sky, Jung Yiyeon finally spoke.“I’m sorry.”I anticipated a confession, but instead, an apology, something I hadn’t expected.“I’m sorry.”Jung Yiyeon didn’t smile anymore. I couldn’t see any tears, but for some reason, I felt like he was crying.“I shouldn’t have… done that.”His voice, filled with remorse, sounded almost like a cry.“But I couldn’t think of any other way to keep you… except resorting to such a despicable threat. I had no other option.”He was referring to the time when he demanded sex ten times, lamenting about my brother, Jaeoh, and my future. Even after that, he behaved so confidently and uprightly that I never imagined he would apologize.“I didn’t know I would end up doing the same thing as my family… I really hated that. So I just lived greedily for what I could have… But there were things I had to have even if I couldn’t have them.”Jung Yiyeon’s heavy confession left me breathless.“Still, I… really wanted to treat you well. It started forcibly, but at least ten times, somehow… I wanted to do it really well… so that you could turn your heart to me.”Jung Yiyeon forced himself to maintain a composed expression, speaking as if nothing had happened.“But… it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to… I’m sorry for forcing you.”“…”“If there were times when I hurt you, I apologize for that too. I tried to be careful, but sometimes… there were times when I couldn’t bear it. I’m sorry.”I didn’t know how to respond.Words of reassurance didn’t come out.At first, it really wasn’t okay. It wasn’t until I drank myself into a stupor that I could forget what had happened and have sex. Even after that, every moment I spent with him was eaten away by anger and disgust.I hated it so much. Yet, after a few times, I could enjoy sex with him. At some point, the pleasure he gave me genuinely felt good. It was merely a physiological response, but sex with him was always exhilarating.Jung Yiyeon never hurt me. Even when I pushed him to his limits and hurt him, he never hurt me back. Even his anger quickly extinguished, always subdued.So, in a way… I wanted to say it’s okay.“I’m really sorry. So… what I just said was really a joke. I didn’t come here with the intention of saying that.”Memories of our villa came to mind. His attempts to avoid even the slightest contact, fearing that if we completed all ten times of sex, he wouldn’t be able to hold onto me anymore. Yet, he couldn’t help but try to keep me in his sight, pretending otherwise but never taking his eyes off me.His feelings hadn’t faded away. So, perhaps he couldn’t bring himself to touch me.“…So, is this the end for us?” I asked.Jung Yiyeon remained silent, as if he wanted to deny the end I mentioned.Jung Yiyeon. What should I do with you, who loves me so much?What do I want to do with you?“I just came in for a moment and I’ll leave.”I don’t know if I blurted out these words on impulse or for some other reason.Jung Yiyeon’s pupils trembled.“Come in.”Without waiting for his answer, I turned around. Jung Yiyeon hesitated. But a man who loved me so desperately had no choice but to follow my lead.As soon as we entered the entrance and the door closed, I pushed Jung Yiyeon against the wall.“Ugh…!”Was his body still sore from being hit by my brother? Jung Yiyeon grimaced, his eyes filled with confusion. He was closer than necessary. So, I turned my head and closed my eyes.“Ugh…!”As our fleshy bodies touched, a shiver ran down my spine. A familiar scent invaded my nostrils. I took a deep breath, parted my lips, and pressed them against Jung Yiyeon’s lips. As I pushed my tongue in, Jung Yiyeon’s body stiffened.Pressing my weight against him, I grabbed his cheek and kissed him recklessly. Jung Yiyeon tried to push me away, but his resistance was futile. I firmly grabbed his jaw and pushed my tongue deeper. I caught his fleeing tongue, tangled it, and sucked it into my mouth. I nibbled and sucked on his tongue and lips, making wet, sticky sounds.“Lee, Lee Nan…”Every time our lips parted, Jung Yiyeon desperately called my name. But I didn’t give him a chance and kissed his lips again.